Jeera Rice
Basmati rice tempered with cumin seeds and whole spices, cooked until every grain stays separate. The plain, fragrant rice that belongs beside a bowl of dal, and the dish that shows off why basmati is worth buying well.
By Vegan Cook. Published 6 August 2026
Ingredients
Serves 4.
- 1.5 cupsbasmati rice
- 1 tbspcumin seeds (jeera)
- 1bay leaf
- 2green cardamom pods, lightly crushed
- 12cm cinnamon stick
- 3cloves
- 1small onion, thinly sliced, optional
- 2.5 cupswater
- 2 tbspneutral oil or vegan butter
- 1 tspsalt, or to taste
- 1 tbspfresh coriander, chopped, to finish
Cookware
- Heavy-bottomed pot with a tight-fitting lid
- Fine sieve for rinsing
Method
Read each step end-to-end before starting.
- 01
Rinse and soak the rice
Rinse the basmati rice in cold water three or four times until the water runs mostly clear, then cover with fresh water and soak for 20 minutes. Drain well. This washes off surface starch and lets the grains cook up long and separate rather than sticky, which is the whole point of jeera rice.
- 02
Fry the whole spices in oil
Heat the oil or vegan butter in a heavy pot over medium heat. Add the cumin seeds, bay leaf, cardamom, cinnamon and cloves, and let them sizzle for about 20 seconds until the cumin darkens a shade and turns fragrant. Frying the whole spices in hot fat like this, before adding anything else, is where the whole flavour of the dish comes from, so do not rush it or let it burn.
- 03
Soften the onion
If using onion, add it now and cook for 4-5 minutes until soft and light golden. It is optional, and plenty of cooks keep jeera rice plain, but it adds a gentle sweetness.
- 04
Coat the rice
Add the drained rice and stir gently for 1-2 minutes to coat every grain in the spiced oil, taking care not to break the delicate soaked grains.
- 05
Cook
Pour in the water and salt, stir once, and bring to a boil. Once boiling, cover with a tight lid, reduce the heat to the lowest setting, and cook undisturbed for 12-15 minutes, until the water is fully absorbed and the surface is dotted with little steam holes.
- 06
Rest and fluff
Turn off the heat and let the pot sit, still covered, for 10 minutes without lifting the lid, so the trapped steam finishes the grains. Then fluff gently with a fork, lifting from the bottom rather than stirring, to keep the grains whole. Scatter with fresh coriander and serve alongside a dal (a spiced lentil dish).
Allergen profile
Every recipe here is fully plant-based. Cross-contamination risk depends on your kitchen, so check all packaging.
Swap note
Naturally gluten-free, soy-free and nut-free.